Network Rail and TfL asked to co-ordinate engineering works

With local tube and train services being disrupted for the third weekend in a row calls are intensifying for better co-ordination of engineering works between Network Rail and Transport for London (TfL).

The council’s transport spokesman Russell King said it "beggared belief" that the rail companies concerned could not speak to each other and co-ordinate their engineering work better.

He said: "These suspensions are going to cause a huge amount of inconvenience to rail and tube passengers this weekend. They will also add to a lot more congestion on local roads.

"The greatest blame surely lies with Network Rail, which is carrying out platform lengthening works at Barnes Station for trains that are not due in service for years to come. The District Line restrictions are at least for imminent upgrades in services.This kind of chaos could easily be avoided if only rail bosses communicated properly with each other and planned their works much more carefully."

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "Network Rail and TfL take steps to coordinate the many improvements which are being made to the rail and Underground networks across the Capital. Where possible we try and avoid programming work to take place at the same time, and although this is generally successful, we will continue to look at how we can do this even better. However, owing to the tight deadlines for key projects and the impact of the Olympics next year, it has been necessary to carry out simultaneous work on some lines through Wandsworth. We apologise for any inconvenience this causes for passengers."

Nigel Holness, LU’s Network Service Director, said:  "We appreciate the frustration passengers feel when confronted by diversions or closures. But we are carrying out a major programme of work to upgrade the Tube and ultimately improve services, which given there is very little time to carry out works during the four hours each night when trains do not run means we need to carry out a lot of work at weekends. All of our works are co-ordinated and we work with our colleagues at Network Rail to ensure that clashes are avoided but this is not always possible."